Asia Markets Correspondent

Aboutus Ft; Hong Kong; On-site; HKD 520,000 - 900,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Medical cover

Parental leave

Gym memberships

Community service

Job summary

The Financial Times in Hong Kong is looking for an Asia Markets Correspondent to cover major global finance stories from the region.

You will report on government debt, IPO activity, currency moves and asset markets, delivering timely analysis and front-page splashes when markets move. You’ll interview investors and traders, working with FT’s global network to produce insightful coverage.

Qualifications

• Strong reporting instincts with ability to spot market trends.
• Excellent English writing for front-page stories.
• Ability to talk to investors and traders to explain movements.
• Willingness to cover Asia markets from Hong Kong with teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Cover Asia markets and major global finance stories from HK.
• Write front-page splash during market moves and provide analysis.
• Interview investors and traders; report on IPOs, bonds and currencies.
• Collaborate with FT Alphaville and regional teams for context.

Skills

Markets instinct

Front-page writing

English writing

Communication skills

Asian languages helpful

Job description

About us

The Financial Times is one of the worlds leading news organisations, globally recognised for its authority, integrity and accuracy, with a mission to deliver quality information and services worldwide.

At the FT, curiosity thrives and ambitious thinking is rewarded. Here, you’re given the chance to reach millions, create work that matters and deliver impartial journalism in a polarised world.

In our warm, collaborative culture, you’ll connect with a diverse community of experts who support your growth, career aspirations and wellbeing.

Your future at the FT will be filled with opportunities that challenge and inspire you. With no fixed path, you’ll discover new skills and forge a career that can take you anywhere.

Build a newsworthy career at the FT.

The Role

The Financial Times is seeking an Asia Markets Correspondent to cover some of the biggest stories in global finance from its regional base in Hong Kong.

Asia is important to recent rises in government bond yields, both in itself, because of Japan’s enormous government debt, and as a source of capital, with the region’s current account surpluses getting recycled into assets around the world. That phenomenon plays out in exchange rates and dealmaking, and we want to cover it closely. Other stories include the resurgence of Chinese IPOs, daily trading in several of the worlds largest tech companies, currency interventions across the region and the determination of Asian financial centres to take a greater share of global commodity trading and asset management.

Spot news is an important part of the role. Asian financial markets are the first to open during the global trading day, so the correspondent often covers the fallout of big developments such as a US interest rate move. On days when markets are moving, you will find yourself authoring the FT's splash, and the piece you start will stay on the front page through an entire news cycle.

But the role is also to tell stories about financial markets: spotting interesting anomalies; talking to investors and traders about where they are putting their money and why; analysing significant market phenomena; and bringing to life the winners, the losers, the drama and the personalities of the financial world.

The correspondent will join a strong and supportive team, with colleagues working on Chinese and international finance from Hong Kong, as well as the FT’s global network of market correspondents and colleagues on FT Alphaville. You may also be asked to represent the FT at events and in the media.

Your Skills

• An instinct for markets and a sense of how to turn that into stories are the two biggest qualifications. Participants in the financial markets are always looking for their next trade, so an eye for valuations, liquidity and motivated buyers or sellers will help to generate story ideas. The core reporting skills and energy to talk with a wide range of market participants are essential to find out what is going on.
• Fluent and skilful news writing in English is crucial. We will be looking to you to turn the latest market movements into a front page splash that gets across the importance of whatever just happened. You should be hungry to write for all parts of the website and newspaper, from strong spot news to deft analysis on a range of subjects. There may be opportunities to write features or coverage for FT Weekend as well.
• Good communication skills are important. You should regularly pitch ideas to editors in Hong Kong and London, then deliver copy when promised. You should also be collegiate: close collaboration with colleagues across the world is a central part of the FT’s culture and will be vital to your success.
• Skills in Asian languages are always helpful but not necessary for this role. Hong Kong is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia and the quality of living is high.

The use of AI

Original reporting, great writing and intelligent commentary lie at the heart of FT journalism. Our readers trust us to produce quality journalism that is accurate, fair and insightful. This is why FT editorial staff do not by default use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to write articles or create other reader-facing content. For specific and pre-approved cases, AI can be harnessed for certain tasks, such as assisting data research for investigations.

We expect applicants to the FT newsroom to refrain from using AI in their test submissions, and any written materials should be a genuine reflection of their own knowledge, skills and experiences. We encourage candidates only to employ AI as a tool to help with research and interview readiness for a role.

Candidates should be aware that the use of AI throughout the application process is monitored to ensure a fair and transparent hiring process for all.

Our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

We believe in the power of unique perspectives and want all voices in our organisation to be heard, respected and valued. A supportive workplace is one where employees feel they can be themselves and operate to their full potential. We are committed to removing barriers for everyone, with a focus on addressing those faced by underrepresented groups.

What's in it for you? Our benefits

Our benefits vary by location but we are committed to providing best-in-class perks across all our offices. These include generous annual leave, medical cover, inclusive parental leave packages, subsidised gym memberships and opportunities to give back to the community. Full details of our benefits are available here.

FT Newsroom staff are expected to work onsite a minimum of three days per week, subject to role requirements and regular review. While flexible working requests will be considered, not all patterns are suitable for Editorial roles.

Accessibility

We are a disability confident employer and Valuable 500 signatory.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments/personalisation as part of the application process or to enable you to attend an interview. If you would like to discuss your requirements or have any questions, email [e-mail] and a member of our team will be happy to help.